Improvement in nail-assorting machines



l. CUYNE.

Naill-Assorting Machine.

No.159,082. Paxenredlan. 26,1875.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN OOYNE, OF PITTSBURG, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSEL AND ROBERT CHESS- MAN, OF ETNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN NAIL-ASSORTING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 159,082, dated January 26, 1875; application filed March 29, 1873.

To all whom it may concern Be it knownY that I, JOHN COYNE, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement. in Nail- Assorting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing on two sheets, forming a part of this specification, in which-'- -Figure l is a perspective view of my irnproved nail-assorter, and illustrates the manner of applying it to a nail-machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the detached assorter. Fig.A 3 is a cross-section through w w, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section through y y, Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a view of a gage for gaging the width of the slots of the assorter.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.;

My invention consists in certain improvements in the construction and application of that class of nail-assorters in which the nails are assorted by passing down an inclined spout having a slotted opening along its bottom, through which the defective and headless nails fall, while the perfect nails slide along into the nail-box. These improvements are fully set forth in the following description and claims.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will describe its construction and mode of operation.

The nail-assorter a consists of two pairs of converging plates, a1, fastened to the braces a2 and a3, forming the slots a4. This assorter is secured to the frame b of a nail-machine, in an inclined position, just below the delivery-point, to receive the nails therefrom, and it operates to conduct the perfect nails to the receptacle, while the headless and imperfect ones fall through the slots.

The frame b is the frame of an ordinary nailmachine. In connection therewith I show the heading-lever q. Other parts not necessary to or bearing on my invention I have not shown. The nail-header is attached to the lever q at the point q.

Hitherto only the outer plates of the assorter have been made adjustable upon the braces a2 and c3, the two center plates being formed by a piece of an gle-iron straddling the center angle of the braces c2 and a3. This construction rendered it impossible to adjust the sides evenly. To overcome this difficulty l make each plate adjustable and separate, and then, by means ofthe screws s and slots s', each pair may be adjusted equally on the braces a2 and c3, to form slots of various widths.

The rear brace a3 has a backward extension,

c, through which the rod d passes, and which is tapped and threaded for the reception ot' the clamp-screw o. At its forward end the rod is secured between the seat e1 on the brace e and the clamp-yoke j', which is operated by the screw f.' The brace c is secured to the rod g, extending across between the columns g1 of the nail-machine, by a clamp-screw, g2. The brace e extends forward and turns up in front of the end of the assorter, as shown at e4, forming a guard for the assorter. The assorter a is fastened, by means of the rod d and clamp-screw c and clamp-yoke f, to the brace e, which is fastened to the nail-machine.

The assorter a must be free from attachment or contact at its forward end in order to vibrate, as hereinafter described. lts comparatively delicate structure requires it to be protected from injury from the nail-boxes which are frequently thrown against it, and from being bent in case the foot is inadvertently rested upon it. This protection is given by the brace e, which, at the same time, does not interfere with or prevent the hereaftendescribed vibration of the assorter. This brace is constructed of arectangular slightly-tapering bar, e2, and a flange, e3, which runs along the upper edge of the bar e2, to near its forward end, where it crosses to the lower edge, which it follows to the end of the brace. The brace stands just clear of the forward crossbrace a2, to permit the vibration ofthe assorter to the extent hereinafter described, but near enough to prevent the latter from heilig bent. A slight pressure on the assorter brings the cross-brace a2 in contactwith the brace e, which then renders the necessary support. The turned-up end e4 and guard h protect the forward end of the assorter.

When the nails come from the nail-machine and fall upon the assorter, they have a tendency to rebound and fly off. This I prevent by means of the receiver i, which is hung onto the hook 7c, extending up from the rear brace a3. The bottom of the receiver corresponds in shape to the assorter, upon which it sits, and it has an opening, i1, for the passage of the nails into the assorter. If the nails falling into the receiver rebound, they strike the side 2, and are thrown back into the receiver. It is also useful to collect and deliver the nails into the assorting-slots. This receiver I generally construct of tin or sheet-iron.

It frequently happens in the use of this assorter that the vibration of the nail-machine is not sufficient to cause the nails to slide down the channels. To provide for this I attach to the side of the nail-machine a spring, m, and to the spring m a forked arm, n, with a branch, p, extending up into the path of the headinglever q of the machine. The inner end ofthe rod d extends between the forks u. Then, when the nail-machine is in operation, the headinglever q, in its vibrations, strikes the end of the branch p, and depresses the arm n, causing the upper fork to strike the rod d. The retraction of the heading-lever releases the arm fn, and permits the spring m to throw it back to place, causing the lower fork to strike the rod. This communicates a vibratory or tremulous mot-ion to the front end of the rod, and, consequently, to the assorter, which accelerates the passage of the nails down its channels.

Instead of the rigid branch p, a link may be used to communicate the jar from the 1 heading-lever to the forked arm n, the upward stroke of the heading-lever drawing up the arm, and the downward stroke releasing it, so that the spring m may throw it back.

The inner edges of the plates al have heretofore been made square, similar to the outer edges. I nd that when such plates are placed on the braces the nails ride'down the slots upon their extreme inner edge, which has a tenden cy to wear out the edges and enlarge the slots, thereby ruining the plates. Besides this, the perfect nails, hanging in the slots upon the upper edges of the plates, swing transversely therein, and frequently so violently that one side of the head comes off the edge, and then slips through.

I bevel the inner edges of the plates al, so that when put on the braces they shall be parallel, as at r. Then the nails cannot swing transversely, and there is no danger of their falling through; nor is there danger of the slots being enlarged by the wearing action of the nails, as the nails are supported by the full thickness of the plates.

I have made a gage, t, for setting the plates al to form a slot, a4, of any desired width, to assort nails of various sizes. The gage t is round or square in form, and tapers from the butt t1 to the point t2. It has a scale upon its side, showing the various sizes of nails which correspond thereto. The gage is placed in the slot a, andthe plates are set againstit to form .a slot of the width of the interposed gage.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A nail-assorting spout having both of its inclined side plates adjustable upon their braces, as and for the purposes described.

2. The longitudinal brace c, having a turnedup end, e4, and guard h, in combination with the brace a2, to protect the assorter, as described.

3. The rod d, in combination with the fork n and assorter a, as and for the purposes described.

4. The spring m, fork n, and branch p, in combination with the headin g-lever q ofthe nailmachine, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of the assorter a. and rod d with the heading-lever of the nail-machine,

' and devices for jarring or striking the rod d at a point in the rear of the receiving-pan, and directly under the heading-lever, to produce a tremulous vibration of the assorter, for the purpose stated.

6. In combination with a nail-assorter, a receiver interposed between the nail machine and assorter, for the purpose stated.

In testimony whereof I,the' said JOHN OOYNE, have hereunto set my'hand.

JOHN GOYNE. Witnesses:

T. B. KEER, J AMES I. KAY. 

